RIP Ken Ober, One of MTV's Best

Those of us who remember MTV for music videos also remember its first foray into non-music programming. Ken Ober hosted "Remote Control", a pop-culture trivia game show that helped launch the careers of Colin Quinn, Dennis Leary, and Adam Sandler. (Am I the only one who remembers him as "Stickpin"?) Ober was only 52.

Sifting through the trash

In these days of instant information, it helps to have a few sources to sort the wheat from the chaff. For instance, say you want to know how much of a new non-fiction best-seller is on the up and up. You want to believe the author, but you're just not sure. What do you do? Two great sites that eschew obfuscation are Factcheck.org and Politifact.com. The latter measures the accuracy of a politico's statement on a scale from "Truth" to "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!"

Red Arrows advance to D2 Semis!

The mighty Lowell Red Arrows will meet the Warriors of Birmingham Brother Rice on Saturday, November 21. Game time is 1 PM at Howell High School. GO ARROWS!

Today's Lesson in Irony - GRCC Edition

A year ago, our beloved Grand Rapids Community College instituted a no smoking policy across campus which, as you can imagine, didn't please a number of students. (As a non-smoker, I'm thrilled to be able to breathe fresh air when entering and exiting the Main Building.) A year later, most are obeying the rule on campus, but there's a problem: they're taking their butts across the street to other businesses and churches that don't allow smoking either. (Some staffers are doing this, too.)

Yesterday, in an email sent to all students and staff, a number of sites were suggested where anyone could light up. Included in the list was - get this - Cancer Survivors' Park on Bostwick.

Why Lou Dobbs left CNN

The truth, as usual, can be found in The Onion.

For those who think "National Health Care Plan" = Socialism

You are encouraged to watch tonight's episode of Frontline on PBS. "Sick Around the World" explores how five capitalist democracies make health care work. Can't watch tonight? Watch it all online.

Something completely different

Star Wars. With the Beastie Boys. Enjoy.

RED ARROWS - PLAYOFF FOOTBALL!

Hope you can join me tonight for the first round of the MHSAA Football Playoffs! Lowell Red Arrows vs. St Johns Red Wings - all the action streaming tonight on WLHS Radio!

Shameless plug for my JoBro-obsessed daughter

Check out the vid Emily and her BFFs made for a JoBro contest - she's quite talented, if I say so myself!

Sherman Alexie says no to the movies, and a big pay day

We've watched Sherman Alexie's "Smoke Signals" in Lit & Film this trimester, but the prolific writer has no interest in seeing his bestseller, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, on the big screen. He explains why here.